Doubt lingers on after Cabinet Office advice kept secret

Doubt about Judith Collins’ visit to the Chinese
headquarters of Oravida will linger while the Cabinet Office
advice about any conflict of interest is kept secret, Labour
MP Grant Robertson says.

“Judith Collins is arrogantly
trying to diminish her visit to Oravida’s office. The
reality is this was a well-planned photo opportunity on a
taxpayer-funded trip to a company where the Minister’s
husband is a Director, and who donated more than $55,000 to
the National Party.

“That raises serious issues about
conflict of interest.

John Key has said the Cabinet Office
assured him there has been no breach of ministerial rules
but without seeing what questions were asked and exactly
what that advice says, the public cannot be confident that
all questions about conflict of interest have been dealt
with.

“Judith Collins said she didn’t endorse the
company’s product, yet her photograph and comments
praising Oravida remained on its website until they were
highlighted this week.

“This reeks of a conflict of
interest.

“National ministers have been painfully aware
since the demise of Pansy Wong that they need to avoid at
all costs doing anything in their role as a Minister that
looks like it benefits them or their families.

“John Key
said he would demand a high standard of behaviour. Judith
Collins’ behaviour falls far short of that and of what
most New Zealanders would expect from their ministers,”
says Grant
Robertson.

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